The Case Of The Missing Diary
by Shohoku no Miko
Summary: She lost it. He got it. She asks him for help. What will he do? [kinda mysterious, eh? Click on the hyperlink to read]
1. Finder Keepers, Losers what?

Author's Rant:  
  
Greetings Earthlings! Shohoku no Miko landed here in front of the PC and heck, I can't wait to type this dream of mine! Actually this dream has been bothering me everyday and I want to type it now, so I may not forget it. And the fact that the Slam Dunk Charcters are the protagonists in this dream, I simply know that it will fit for my next fanfiction.  
  
Dedication: To all those who read my previous fics, "The Search Is Over", "I'll Be..." and "Angel". I also dedicate this to all my tomodachi's out there... You know who you are. And lastly to MidoriTenshiSakura, my evil twin sister. This one's for your never ending love of Slam Dunk. [And mine too!]  
  
How I wish that Kiyota Nobunaga and Miyagi Ryota were mine... but they're not! And so is Slam Dunk!  
  
  
  
The Case Of The Missing Diary  
by Shohoku no Miko  
  
  
Chapter One: Finders Keepers, Losers... What?  
  
She finished packing up all the things she needed to bring with her home and put the backpack on. She was restraining herself from causing havoc. There was turmoil going on inside of her and she wanted to throw the books on the bookshelf, then shatter the vase with her own hands, and send the mop flying out of the window. She sat down again, grabbed a notebook in her bag and threw it above her desk, and brought out the fountain pen she has been using to write in that particular thing. Some of the students were startled by what she did. She looked up and glared at them, and they all looked away, pretending they saw and heard nothing.  
  
Ayako started writing on the notebook sitting on her desk. One by one the students in their class were decreasing, the students remaining inside the room can be counted with the fingers on her left hand.  
  
  
Dear Diary,  
  
I know it's not like me to write as it is not yet the end of the day, but I can't help it. This day is too much for me. First, my oto-sama, the so-called General of the Kanagawa. He scolded me while we were having breakfast. Not only did he not respect the food we were eating, but he humiliated me. Yeah, it wasn't really humuliating since the only people in sitting around the table are my oka-sama, nee-chan and Yuri-imotochan. But he was yelling like thunder and I know the people in the streets passing by could hear him clearly!   
  
Ugh...  
  
He said that I should quit being the manageress of the team. Hell NO! Why should I quit? Well he was just *informed* that *I* was having an affair. Take note: AFFAIR with a team member. And guess who it is...  
  
Mitsui-sempai.  
  
Yeah, *Mitsui-sempai*. Of all people in Japan, *HIM*? A sempai? I wouldn't dare to. Not that I did not like him. Sure, he is handsome, but he's not quite my type. And I don't want to have an affair with my senior, for Pete's sake! I asked him where he got the idea of Mitsui-sempai and I having an affair. And as I expected, he got it from our neighbor, Sasami-chan. Like, hello? She's just jealous because I get to spend time with her *beloved* Mitsui! Then he even wanted to drive me to school and fetch me from school so that he makes sure I don't go anywhere but there. Hah! Like I would be going to some place else after school... Except the gym where the Shohoku Team practices. I just hate it when he treats us like his soldiers training for battle, leaving us with no choice and making us answer 'Sir yes Sir'...  
  
Next, our Trigonometry teacher, Suzuki-sensei, told me that he wanted me to represent the juniors in an upcoming Math Quiz Bee in the prefecture. Not that I don't want to, it's just that he wanted me to stay after classes and review with him, just for that stupid quiz bee!   
  
And that means giving up my time after class, giving up being the manageress of the team, and giving up what I really wanted to do.  
  
This day sucks. Why does it have to be me? Why does it have to be me, a simple girl living a simple life, following everything her parents tell her, doing her best in school, have to be deprived of the only thing she wanted to do?  
  
  
  
"Ayako-san! Ayako-san!" a voice hollered in the hallway.  
  
She looked up from her diary and glanced at the clock. 'Quarter to three... Thirty minutes before practice.' she said to herself as she stood to meet the one who called her. And as she expected the owner of the voice would be, it was Haruko.  
  
"Oi, Haruko! What brings you here?" Ayako said casually, pretending there was nothing wrong with her.  
  
"Ah... Ayako-san... Eh... I... Please come with me, it's important! Onegaishimasu?" Haruko pulled her out of the classroom and down the flight of the stairs, leading to the first floor.  
  
"Okay... Okay... Slow down..." Ayako struggled to minimize the speed, but Haruko pulled her.   
  
  
  
Ryota, still sitting on his desk watched as Ayako was pulled by Haruko out of the room. He sighed. "I thought I could go the gym with her today, but it seems Haruko has something to show her. Hah, ganbatte arimasen..."   
  
He stood up and made his way out of the now-empty room, but something on the desk of Ayako caught his eye. "What's this?" He asked to no one in particular as he picked up the item on the desk. The notebook was opened on a page and he proceeded to read it.   
  
As he finished reading the last word written he found out that it was unfinished. He flipped the pages back, then realization struck him. "It's Aya-chan's diary!" He quickly closed it and shove it into his duffel bag, looking at either side of the room to see if someone saw him read it.  
  
Sensing no danger, Ryota sighed audibly and proceeded to the gym.  
  
  
  
Practice went on as usual, with Sakuragi and Rukawa bickering at each other, Kogure trying hard to stop them before it's too late, Akagi shouting at the self-proclaimed tensai's ears, Mito and the rest of the Sakuragi gundan making fun of the red-hair, Mitsui laughing at the two fighting and Ayako whacking the freshmen in the head.  
  
'Nothing out of the usual.' Ryota thought. 'It's all right this way. The daily practice would be incomplete if there was someone missing.' He said to himself as an inner smile took over.  
  
Especially if Ayako was not there to cheer him on. 'Nice, Ryota!' He really liked that. He just loves the sound of his name. His FIRST name, coming out of her sweet, tender lips. And how her eyes dance whenever something nice would happen, how her brows would crease if they were in a fix, how her lips would quiver when she tries to suppress her laughter... Everything about her was perfect.  
  
But how come she looks so happy amidst her miseries? How come she could put up a front without anyone noticing how she really feels inside?  
  
Ryota suddenly remembered the things she wrote on her diary. Her oto-sama, the issue her father brought up while having breakfast, thinking she had a relationship with Mitsui, the restriction her oto-san gave her, the trigo quiz bee Suzuki-sensei wanted her to participate in...  
  
And giving up her position in the team.   
  
'Sonna...' Ryota shook his head. No way! He wouldn't allow anybody or anything to deprive his beloved Aya-chan from what she wants to do. And it was only because of her that he joined the team. If Aya-chan was not there, being in the varsity would be at the very far region of his brain.  
  
He heard Akagi shout "Practice's over!", and let out a sigh of relief. 'Finally...' He thought, after a rugged training.  
  
Mitsui noticed the slight change in Ryota's aura. [a/n: Aura doesn't only pertain to magical people, right?] "Oi, Ryota!" He ran to his side.   
  
Ryota looked at him in recognition and smiled. "Mitsui..." He wiped the sweat with the collar of his shirt. [a/n: Like, Basketball players really do that, ne?]  
  
Mitsui saw the lack of enthusiasm in his smile. "Do shou tano? Did you fail your Unit test? Did you lose your wallet? Or did Ayako-san turn you down?"   
  
Ryota laughed half-heartedly. "Saa... Nothing's wrong. Just thinking."  
  
"Thinking? Miyagi Ryota, thinking? About what, my man? Mid-terms, money, folks or girls?"  
  
"None of the above." Ryota said as they grabbed their duffel bag and proceeded to the showers.  
  
"Oh c'mon. There's got to be something you're thinking about." Mitsui inquired of a rather serious point guard.  
  
"Let's go grab some food later. There I would tell you." And the two closed the doors of their respective shower booths.  
  
  
  
"So what was it you were going to tell me?" Mitsui chomped on his burger. "Is it something confidential?"  
  
"Not really." Ryota sipped some of his rootbeer. "Do you think it's wrong that you read someone else's diary?"  
  
"Of course. You're invading another person's property."  
  
At the sound of Mitsui's words Ryota spat out the rootbeer in his mouth. "I-it is?"  
  
"Uh-huh. Why? You read your nee-chan's diary?" Mitsui's eyes were smiling at him mischievously.   
  
Ryota knew what Mitsui was thinking. "I didn't! And if I did, I wouldn't tell you what's in it. My nee-chan's not interested in you." Ryota looked away.  
  
"Oh, so you don't want me to be your future brother-in-law? That's too bad, I wanted you to be my future brother-in-law." Mitsui pretended to be hurt.  
  
"Maa... It's not that I read my sister's diary. I... Oh, never mind." Ryota proceeded to munch on his cheeseburger.  
  
"Oh I do mind. You told me you'd tell me. And I want to know what's bothering our little point guard. C'mon, spill!" Mitsui retorted.  
  
"But promise me you won't tell anybody about this, kay?"  
  
"Hai. Watashi wa yakusoku suru. [I promise.]" Mitsui raised his right hand, as if pledging to the Flag of America his loyalty.  
  
Ryota breathed in sharply. "I read Aya-chan's diary."  
  
"You what?" Mitsui hollered, catching some other people's attention. Mitsui smiled sheepishly and mumbled 'gomen ne'. The other customers proceeded to their meals.  
  
"Yeah. I read it. Accidentally." Ryota whispered, and the last word being added at once so as not to make things complicated.  
  
  
  
"Oi, Ryota! Mitsui-sempai!"  
  
The two shot dreaded looks at one another at the sound of the voice. They both turned their heads to the direction of the voice and saw a girl with curly hair and cerulean eyes. She was standing next to a little girl, about seven years old. The little girl was the exact opposite of the other one.  
  
"Aya-chan!" the word escaped from Ryota's lips.   
  
"Speaking of the devil..." Mitsui suppressed his laughter.  
  
Ryota kicked his companion on the shin. "She's no devil, she's an angel!" Ryota hissed. Mitsui snarled.  
  
"Hey, what I told you, it's a secret, kay?" Ryota said hastily.  
  
"Hai, hai. Sore wa himitsu desu." He said through gritted teeth.  
  
"Secret? What secret?" Ayako came in front of their table.   
  
"H-huh? It's about Ryoko-chan, my future wife!" Mitsui lied.  
  
"Oh, Ryoko-sempai." Ayako shot a doubtful look at Ryota. He, in turn, shrugged. "Mind if we sit down with you?"  
  
"Oh, we don't mind. C'mon, sit with us." Mitsui helped the little girl up the seat next to him, obliging Ayako to sit down beside Ryota. The little girl eyed him suspiciously but Ayako glared at her, then the girl looked down.  
  
Ayako smiled at Mitsui. "Sorry for my imouto-chan's attitude. She's a bit snobbish when it comes to those she doesn't know."  
  
"Maa... Daijobu. Little girls are really like that." Mitsui replied.  
  
Ryota watched as Ayako smiled at Mitsui. Sure, she looked happy, but there was something wrong...  
  
And her eyes revealed them all.  
  
"So what brings the General's daughters here? Have you eaten dinner?" Ryota fidgeted with the straw of his beverage.  
  
"How did you know that my oto-sama is the general?" Ayako asked, confusion evident in her face.  
  
'Shimatta...' Ryota kicked himself mentally. "Ah... Eh... Everybody in school knows that. Eh... E-he-he-he... Right, Mitsui?" Ryota cast a look at Mitsui.  
  
"Huh? You're the general's daughter?" Mitsui looked shocked.  
  
"She is, Mitsui. Have you forgotten?" Ryota shot him a knowing look.  
  
"She is? Oh, yes, she is!" Mitsui nodded in agreement.  
  
"Oh..." Ayako arched an eyebrow.  
  
"Like I said, what brings you here? Have you eaten dinner?" Ryota gulped the lump forming in his throat.  
  
"Actually I'm taking my imouto-chan to dinner. Oto-sama and Oka-sama had some gathering to attend to, while nee-chan phoned me and told me that she has to sleep over in her classmate's house. And since I went home late, I haven't got the chance to cook. So I took Yuri out for dinner. And it turns out, you're here." Ayako then turned to Ryota. "Please guard Yuri. I'll just take our orders."  
  
"Iiya. I'll just accompany you. Besides Mitsui is here, ne?" Ryota smiled.  
  
"Yeah don't worry about Yuri I'll stay here with her. You two go get food for your dinner." Mitsui smiled slyly at Ryota.  
  
"You sure you'll be all right here Yuri?" Ayako asked her little sister.  
  
"Un, daijobu. I'll wait here, Aya-neechan." Yuri's little voice said.  
  
"Shall we go then?" Ryota's stud gleamed as bright as his smile. Ayako nodded and the two headed to the counter, leaving Mitsui and Yuri.  
  
Yuri looked up curiously to Mitsui. "Ano. Suimasen, nii-chan, demo..."  
  
"Nandesuka, Yuri?" Mitsui asked.  
  
"Are you Mitsui?"  
  
"Hai. Mitsui Hisashi. MVP in Junior High School, 95% Three-Point fieldgoal percentage, jeresy number 14 of Shohoku Basketball Team, and your nee-chan's sempai." MItsui beamed. "Call me Hisa-niichan."  
  
"Are you my Aya-neechan's boyfriend?" Yuri tossed her hair back.  
  
At the sound of the girl's question Mitsui burst into laughter.  
  
"What's so funny, Hisa-niichan?" Yuri pouted, which sent Mitsui laughing all over again. "What?"  
  
"Iiya. I'm definitely not your nee-chan's boyfrined. I've got someone else in mind. You know the one with your nee-chan, Miyagi Ryota?" Mitsui pointed to Ryota, who at that time was at the end of the line with Ayako.  
  
"Uh-huh. What about him?" Yuri asked.  
  
"His nee-chan is my girlfriend. Well, sort of. Soon she'll be. Who gave you that idea anyway?" Mitsui offered her some french fries which she politely declined.  
  
"My oto-sama said that our neighbor, Kaoru-san told him that you and my nee-chan have a relationship." Yuri retorted.  
  
"Saa... We're not lovers. I only like your nee-chan as a friend." Mitsui ate his hamburger heartily. "So where do you study?"  
  
"Tomigaoka Elementary School." She looked away and to the counter, where her elder sister and her friend were. "Ano... Hisa-niichan..."  
  
"Nani?" He noticed that the little girl was looking at the two.  
  
"What's the name of the person with my Aya-neechan again?"  
  
"Aa, Miyagi Ryota. He's your nee-chan's classmate. He's small ne?"  
  
"He is. Demo... does he like my nee-chan?" Yuri looked up to him again.  
  
Mitsui, quite fazed at the little girl's ability to read body language, broke into a grin. "You're a smart girl, Yuri. Come here, I'll tell you a secret." And the little girl listened as Mitsui whispered something in her ear. Ever so slowly, an evil smile formed on the little girl's lips.  
  
  
  
"Ryota, could you do me a favor?" Ayako asked as the two of them waited for their turn.  
  
"Fire away." Ryota countered.  
  
"You see... Oh never mind." Ayako turned her head to look away.  
  
"Doushite? What can I do to help you, Aya-chan?" Ryota inquired of worried Ayako. 'Yeah, more like "What can I do to make you love me?"' Ryota thought.  
  
"You see this afternoon I was writing in my diary when Haruko called me. She pulled me into the backyard and I totally forgot about it. I just remembered it when practice was over and when I went back to get it, it's gone." Ayako sounded disturbed.  
  
The line moved and they were up front it was their turn. "Two french fries, one spaghetei, one sundae and two iced teas please." Ayako said to the lady and lady turned to get the order. Then minutes after the lady went back with two french fries and spaghetti. The lady came back with the rest of the orders.  
  
"So what are you going to eat?" Ryota asked.  
  
"Frech fries and Iced Tea. The rest are for Yuri."  
  
"Are you starving yourself? You've got to eat more."  
  
"Un, daijobu. I'm on diet." Ayako picked a french fry and ate it.  
  
"Diet? Honestly, Aya-chan, you're on a diet? You don't look fat to me." Ryota took a good look at her.  
  
"Are you insulting me?" Ayako raised and eyebrow.  
  
"Iie, iie! I'm just telling the truth!" Ryota protested. "Suimasen, ojojo-san, could you add a chicken burger?" Ryota turned to smile at her.  
  
"Mou, Ryota!" Ayako stomped her feet like a little girl.  
  
"That's for you, okay? You've got to eat that or else..." Ryota warned.  
  
The lady brought the chicken burger and placed it on the tray. "That will be Y465.75."  
  
Ayako placed the money on the counter. "Here."  
  
"No here." Ryota pushed the money back to Ayako's hand and placed a Y500 bill on the counter. Then he looked at Ayako. "Dozo..." And he smiled.  
  
The lady got the 500-yen bill and gave the change. "Enjoy your meal." And the two walked away from the counter with Ryota holding the tray.  
  
"Ryota could you help me look for it?" Ayako asked as they walked towards their booth.  
  
Ryota froze in his steps. "Wha-What? Y-You want me to help... you?"  
  
"Onegaishimasu?!" Ayako noticed that she was no longer walking along her companion. She turned and saw Ryota staring off to space. "Oi, Ryo! What's wrong?"  
  
"Huh?" Ryota was taken out of trance. "H-huh? I-I think I... forgot... to get... straws, yeah, the straws."  
  
"Maa, I have it here." Ayako waved the straws.  
  
"S-s-some... extra... ti-tissue, perhaps?" Ryota turned to go back to the counter.  
  
"I've got that too. C'mon, let's go!" Ayako pulled him. The two of them walked to the booth, where Yuri and Mitsui were waiting.  
  
  
  
"Gomen ne, Yuri, I kept you waiting for so long. The line in the counter was long." Ayako handed the spaghetti, fries, sundae and iced tea to her.  
  
"It's all right, nee-chan. I didn't get bored at all. Hisa-niichan is fun to be with. Ne, Hisa-niichan?" Yuri looked up mischievously to Mitsui.  
  
"Ayako-chan, your imouto-chan's not snobbish at all. In fact she's a very witty girl. Say, Yuri, do you know who he is?" Mitsui referred to Ryota.  
  
"Huh? I don't know him, Hisa-niichan."  
  
"Oh yeah, I forgot to introduce him to you." Ayako sipped some iced tea. "Yuri, this is-"  
  
"Let me do it, Ayako-chan." Mitsui cut her off. "Yuri, this Miyagi Ryota. He is your nee-chan's classmate and her..." Mitsui cast a knowing look to Ayako and Ryota. "...special friend."  
  
"Hajimemashite, Miyagi-san- I mean, nii-chan." Yuri beamed at Ryota. He, in turn, turned beet red, due to Yuri's name for him.  
  
'Nii-chan... I'm her nii-chan?!' Ryota thought.  
  
"Just what do you mean by that, sempai?" Ayako questioned.  
  
"What? Is there something wrong with what I said? It's shijitsu. I just told her the truth..." Mitsui smiled his innocent smile. Yuri nodded.  
  
  
  
They ate their dinner and chatted, and then Yuri wanted to go to the bathroom. "Uh, Ryota, sempai, could you excuse us for a while?" Ayako stood up the moment the two cagers nodded their heads. The siblings went to the washroom leaving the other two behind.  
  
"Oi, Ryota, has she told you anything about the diary?"  
  
"Uh-huh. And not just that, she wanted me to help her look for it! What'll I do?" Ryota remarked, confusion evident in his voice.  
  
"Did you say yes?" Mitsui leaned over the table, obviously interested of what is coming up.  
  
"Uh.. no. She hasn't brought up the topic yet."  
  
"Good. Now let's see... You have to decline it in a nice way. How to say it is up to you." Mitsui placed his chin on his hands. "Oh no here they come!" The two straightened up to their seats and faked a laugh.  
  
"Hey what's the issue? Why are you two laughing?" Ayako took her seat beside Ryota, then nudged him. "What are you laughing at?"  
  
"Huh? Oh, we were just... uhm..." 'Damn! What the hell are we laughing at anyway?'  
  
"Talking about the Celebrity Deathmatch and man, Keri Russell was really bloating!" MItsui tapped Ryota's foot with his under the table.  
  
"Oh yeah! And Whoopi Goldberg came out of a Hotdog Vendor's Cart, that's total crap!" Ayako giggled.  
  
Ryota sighed in relief. He cast a thank-you look to Mitsui while he, in turn, smiled at him.  
  
"Ano... Aya-neechan, I want to go home. I've still got an unfinished assignment." Yuri pleaded.  
  
"Guys, we've got to go." Ayako stood up. "It was nice eating dinner with you."  
  
"We've got to get going too. You want us to accompany you?" Mitsui offered.  
  
"Iie. We'll be all right." Ayako replied.  
  
"Maa, maa... It's all right that women walk in the streets at the dark... I don't think so. Whether you like it or not we're walking you home, ne, Mitsui?" said Ryota. Mitsui nodded in agreement. Ayako shrugged in defeat.  
  
"So... will you help me?" Ayako asked as they walked pass the bookstore. MItsui and Yuri were walking ahead of them.  
  
"Uh..." Ryota stuttered. "I think I can't-"  
  
"Onegaishimasu?!" Ayako stopped in front of him and gave him a puppy-that-was-lost look. She pouted at Ryota's silence.  
  
'Damn! Don't do that on me...' Ryota didn't know what to say. "Uh... yes?"  
  
Ayako brightened up. "You will?! Oh goodie! Domo!: Ayako jumped into his arms. "I owe you one." She whispered at his ears.   
  
Ryota stiffened. 'Oh no! What'll I do?'  
  
  
  
...tbc...   
  
  
Author's Rant:  
  
Hey peeps! Thanks for getting this far. Hope you all liked the first installation of that story. Sorry for all wrong grammar and language, I'm still having a hard time with my glasses lost.  
  
Please review!  
  
  
~Shohoku no Miko~ 


	2. Miyagi to Fujiwara Keiji

Author's Rant:  
  
Konnichiwa! I'm back with the second chapter of my fic. Thanks to all those who reviewed the first chapter. I appreciate it. I also thank those who reviewed the previous fics I posted. Now I don't want to procrasinate things further, let's get it on!  
  
  
  
~Shohoku no Miko~©   
  
  
  
By the way, Slam dunk, or any of it's characters, are not, in any way affiliated or in any way mine. It's the great Inoue-sensei's.   
  
Note: Some characters were added to suit the plot, so please bear with my chaotic imagination.  
  
  
  
The Case Of The Missing Diary   
by Shohoku no Miko  
  
  
Chapter Two: Miyagi to Fujiwara Keiji  
  
  
"What?!" Mitsui shouted at the telephone, with Ryota at the other end.  
  
"Hisashi! Stop screaming at the phone!" Mitsui's mother yelled.  
  
"Why'd you say yes? Don't you know how much trouble you've gotten yourself into?" Mitsui asked.  
  
"I don't know. It just slipped out!" Ryota whispered to the receiver.  
  
Ryoko, his elder sister, happened to pass by while he whispered to the telephone. "Ryota is that a girl you're talking to?"  
  
"Matte..." Ryota said to Mitsui. "Nee-chan it's only Mitsui."  
  
"Oh. I thought it was Fujiwara." Ryoko proceeded going to the kitchen. Ryota sighed in relief. "Hello, you still there?"  
  
"What was that?" Mitsui inquired.  
  
"That? Oh, it's only nee-chan. She thinks I'm talking to-"  
  
"Ryoko-chan?!" Mitsui brightened up.  
  
"Hai hai. So what'll I do? I can't backout now. I mean, she's relying on me that I'll help her. And if it wasn't me who got that diary I'd really help her. Demo... it's me who got it." Ryota sat on the stairs.  
  
"Then return the diary." Mitsui jumped out of his seat, watching a baseball game between the Knicks and the Mets. "Yoshi!" [a/n: Mitsui, watching a BASEBALL game?! ^^;]  
  
"Are you silly? She'll know I read her diary!" Ryota hissed.  
  
"Tell her you just found it lying around..." Mitsui retorted.  
  
"That won't work on her. She's too witty for that reason."  
  
"Hisashi! Are you going or not?" Mitsui's mother shouted.  
  
"Hey, call you later. I'm driving the grown-ups to the airport. Ja!" Mitsui put down the phone.  
  
"Ja..." Ryota hung up. "Man, what'll I do?" He said.  
  
"Do about what?" Ryoko went out the kitchen door, holding a plate of mochi. "Want some?" She sat beside him. Ryota declined the mochi. "So why are you wondering what you will do?"  
  
"Iya, it's nothing." Ryota replied.  
  
"Don't tell me you've gottne yourself into trouble again! I don't want to receive another phonecall telling us you're in the hospital. Sure, money doesn't matter to our parents, it's you that matters. So please, stay away from trouble." Ryoko looked at the mochi, still untouched.  
  
"Yare, yare." Ryota fiddled with the antenna of the cordless phone.  
  
"You're starting to sound like Hisa-kun." Ryoko said jokingly.  
  
"Oh, Hisa-kun! When he's around you call him Mitsui and now, Hisa-kun! Do you like him?" Ryota looked his sister in the eye.  
  
Ryoko pouted. "After what he did to you? Geez, Ryota, two troublemaking brothers are too much for me to handle, and now you want to add another one? I'm going back to Okinawa, I'd rather grow old alone."  
  
Ryota chuckled. "Now really, nee-chan. Do you like him?"  
  
"Well... sort of... Yeah, he's kind, witty, has a great sense of humor, the purr-fect gentleman demo... like I told you, I don't want another troublemaker in the family." Ryoko took a bite of the mochi on the plate. "Now it's my turn. Do you like Fujiwara?"  
  
Ryota stiffened at the sound of Ayako's last name. "A-A-Aya-chan?! She's uh..."  
  
"Nee-chan!!! Tasukete!!!" A voice hollered from the other end of the stairs.  
  
Ryko turned her head and saw their ototo-chan holding a pair of scissors and some glue. "Matte, Ryoshi!" She turned to Ryota. "Hey, you still owe me one."  
  
H-hai." Ryota answered. As Ryoko and Ryoshi disappeared in the hallway he sighed. 'First Aya-chan, now nee-chan? This is too much!'  
  
  
  
Ayako finished all her schoolwork. There was one tough question in the trigonometry assignment but she managed to answer it. She also finished rewriting all her lectures, which were done in scribbles as she tried to overcome sleepiness in class.  
  
Next she set aside all the books, notebooks and termpapers on her desk. Then she brought out the folder she had for the team. On the cover were letters spelling out 'Shohoku Koukou Basketbsll Team'. She flipped open the folder and started to reread the files of all the players. First it was Akagi, then Kogure, Ichi, Shiozaki, Sakuragi, Rukawa, Yasuda, Mitsui, Kakuta...  
  
Then there was Miyagi.  
  
She stopped flipping the pages of the profile. 'Miyagi Ryota... If he and Mitsui-sempai didn't fight we would have had a great game last year. Maybe we even made it to the Inter-High. And maybe if they are good today, they might have been better, if not for that petty fight.' Ayako shook her head. 'This team is made up of troublemakers.' She smiled and stared at Ryota's picture. "Ryota, I like you... eventhough you're such a troublemaker. Thanks for being so nice to me." She talked to his picture.  
  
A knock came at her door and she hastily put all her books on the open folder. "Come in!" She shouted, and the door opened. In came Himawari, Ayako's elder sister. She smiled at her and sat down on Ayako's bed.  
  
"N-Nee-chan! I thought you're going to sleep over in your friend's home?" Ayako asked, bewildered of her elder sister's presence.   
  
"Maa... We finished earlier than expected. Good thing oto-sama and oka-sama are not yet home or else..." Himawari undid the tie on her hair.  
  
"Or else he'll ground you for three months with no phone, no internet and no allowance? There's nothing new about that, ne?" Ayako turned to face her sister.  
  
"Yeah. What can we do anyway? Suit him and take him into court? I haven't even finished my first year in law. Don't mind him. One day we'll be free of his grasp." Himawari lay down on Ayako's bed, still in her uniform.  
  
Ayako turned to her desk. "And all we could do is wait. Yeah, right." She put away all the books and notebooks she put over the team's profiles.  
  
Himawari stood from the bed. "What're you doing?" She peeked over Ayako's shoulder and saw the team's files opened at the page of their point guard. "Oh, that's Shohoku's Files, ne? Is there any bishounen there?"  
  
"Ah... Eh... See for yourself." Ayako gave her the folder.  
  
Himawari scanned from the first page, momentarily stopped at some pages, then gave it back to her.  
  
"So did you find any?" Ayako asked.  
  
"Lots of them! Why didn't tell me there were many? I could've at least refused the accelaration when I was in second year."  
  
"Because you never asked! So who's who?" Ayako opened the folder again. She scanned the pages.  
  
"That one!" Himawari pointed.  
  
"Ah! Kogure-sempai! He's our fukutaicho [vice-captain] and he's really kind." Ayako turned the pages again.  
  
"That one! Rukawa Kaede! Isn't that the ace player of Tomoigaoka Junior High School?" Himawari exclaimed.  
  
"Hai. And I'm glad that he entered Shohoku Koukou. He's really, demo very unsociable."  
  
Himawari turned the pages again. "Ah, Mitsui! That's the MVP in Junior High, ne? And the one who became a bad guy when he had a knee injury. And I remember he beat up a freshman together with Tetsuo."  
  
"And that freshman you're talking about is here too." Ayako turned to Ryota's profile. "Here. Miyagi Ryota."  
  
"Ah, Miyagi. I'ts Miyagi who's your boyfriend, not Mitsui, right?" Himawari taunted.   
  
"N-Nee-chan?! Who gave you that idea?" Ayako sputtered.  
  
"Just a hunch. And I saw the profiles opened there a while ago." Himawari tossed her black hair back.  
  
"I was just sca-"  
  
"And not just that, I heard you talking... or whatever you it... before I knocked on your door. I heard something about like and thanks and nice. Is he your boyfriend?"  
  
"No nee-chan! I have NO boyfriend. I like him, that's all. I only like him as a friend. Satisfied?" Ayako closed the Shohoku files.  
  
"Hai, hai! Now if you'd excuse me, I'm going to change now." Himawari walked out the door, her heeled shoes clanked with every step she made towards the door. As Himawari closed the door behind her, Ayako heaved a sigh of relief. She heard the honk of their father's car and she instantlyclosed her night light and went to bed.  
  
But that night neither Ayako nor Ryota got some sleep, due to a simple diary.  
  
  
  
The bell rang, signaling the end of the third period and the start of the forty-minute break. Ryota, still souns asleep even after the deafening ring, was still wandering in la-la-land when a petite almond-eyed girl tapped his shoulder. When he did not wake up the girl brought her infamous tessen and hit him.  
  
"Miyagi Ryota you get up right this instant!" Ayako commanded.  
  
Ryota shot his weary eyes open and looked up. He smiled at the sight of Ayako. "Aya-chan..." He said drowsily, then set his head down the desk again and closed his eyes.  
  
"Ryota!" Ayako complained. She sat on the chair in front of his desk and faced his sleeping form. "Wake up, I want to talk to you." She ruffled his curly hair. Ryota gave a "Hn." but did not flinch. Ayako became disappointed. "Ryo-ta..." She pulled his left ear playfully. "You said you'd help me find my diary. C'mon, wake up, I need to talk to you."  
  
Ryota became fully awaked. "Huh? Classes are over?"  
  
"Baka! It's breaktime. That's why we're the only people here in the room, see?" Ayako pouted.  
  
"Oh, sou ka. So what was it you were saying?" Ryota looked past Ayako and saw that they had another assignment. "Man, answer pages 104 to 109? This day sucks." He shook his head.  
  
"Don't worry, Ryota. I'll help you answer the assignment." Ayako smiled at him.  
  
"You will?"  
  
"Yeah since you're going to help me find my diary, ne?"  
  
'Man I totally forgot I said yes!' Ryota mentaly kicked himself.  
  
"So where do we start?" Ayako got her brush and started to comb her hair.  
  
"Start? What start?" He pretended not to know.  
  
"Start finding my diary. C'mon, haven't you seen it yesterday?"  
  
Ryota stiffened. "H-Huh? N-No! I... I... saw you writing yesterday before I... went to the gym. I even saw Haruko pull you out of the classroom."  
  
"So you were still here then? Maybe... you even saw who got it!" She retorted.  
  
"I-Iie, iie! I... I just saw Haruko pull you when I was... uh... in... the... hallway. Yeah, in the hallway."  
  
"Demo... how come I mad eit to the gym first?" Ayako questioned.  
  
'Kuso... She's too clever!' He thought. "I... had to go to the Council Room since I... I... had to... talk some things with nee-chan. She... uh... left the project proposal in oto-san's car and... I had to give it to her before the council meeting begins. Like, being the Student Council President she has to... have that in her hand before the meeting. Dakara... you arrived earlier in the gym. Uh... he, he..." Ryota laughed, a fake one.  
  
"Oh. Gomen ne, Ryota." Ayako apologized.  
  
"Sorry? For what?" Ryota was sweating like crazy. 'Cool, keep it cool...'  
  
"Acutually..." Ayako looked out the window. "I... thought you have my diary with you. I'm sorry I suspected that you're the culprit."  
  
"Ma..." Ryota's heart was racing. "D-Daijobu. You can't help it, ne? I mean... everyone in this classroom is a suspect." 'Very well said, Ryota! Keep it up!' He said to himself.  
  
"Arigato, Ryota!" She flashed her 100-watt smile. Ryota's cheeks turned red. "So where do we start?"  
  
"Let's grab some snack first. You must be hungry." Ryota stood up, but Ayako held his hands down the desk.  
  
"Iiya. Let's just stay here. 20 minues are already wasted. And besides, going down the stairs would take us 10 minutes." She explained.  
  
"If that's what you want." Ryota sat down again. "Oh wait." He smiled broadly and proceeded to search his bag. Ayako arched an eyebrow, inquisitively. "Ah, here it is." Ryota beamed, holding something in his hands.  
  
"What's that you're hiding?" Ayako asked.  
  
"He... he... he..." Ryota brought out a box of Godiva chocolates and gave it to Ayako. "Maybe you could eat that."  
  
"Godiva! My favorite! Can I have one?"  
  
"Saa... That's for you. Kaa-san gave me extra allowance and I thought, since you lost your diary, I'll give you your favorite chocolate so you'll cheer up." Ryota put the box of Godiv on Ayako's hand.  
  
"Honto ni? Domo! Honto ni arigato! Demo... how'd you know this is my favorite?" Ayako started to open the pack.  
  
"Uh... I..." Ryota stammered. "... just... uh... guessed it?" He said doubtfully. 'Make that "I read it from your diary."'. "And I... overheard you say that to Haruko. And speaking of Haruko, why did she pull you out of the classroom yesterday?" He asked. 'Shoot... That was close.'  
  
Ayako opened the wrapper of the bar gingerly. "Well, that's something only girls should know." She took a bite of the chocolate. "Mmm... This sure is delicious!" She smiled.  
  
"Well as far as I know, Fujiwara Ayako, being secretive during an investigation is like hindering the truth to be siad. Like it says, Justice delayed, is justice denied." Ryota stared at her as she devoured on the chocolates. 'Ah, Aya-chan... You are so beautiful.'  
  
Ayako saw him stare at her dreamily. "Want some?"  
  
Ryota snapped out of his trance. "Huh?! I-Iie..."  
  
Ayako smiled. "You know you're absolutely right."  
  
"I-I am?" Ryota pointed to himself. "O-Of course, I am!"  
  
"You should be detective when you graduate. Miyagi Ryota Private Detective, the Sherlock Holmes of Kanagawa. No, make that, Japan!" Ayako exclaimed. "And I'll be your dai ichi ni otaku!"  
  
"Maa, maa! Yamette! Let's get down to business. First we ask the cleaners yesterday, ne?" Ryota retorted.  
  
Ayako finished the chocolate bar and crumpled the wrapper. "Sou desu ka. Now who were they... Ah, Atakanashi-san and Matsutani-kun. Then we ask those who stay here after class."  
  
"Yokatta. We ask them later at lunch. We can't stay after class longer than yesterday since Akagi said Anzai-sensei has an announcement to make." Ryota reached over to Ayako and held her shoulder. "Daijobu, Aya-chan. We'll find your diary. Yakusoku suru."  
  
"Arigato, Ryota. I don't know what I'll do without you. You're so nice to me." Ayako said.  
  
Ryota could tell the sincerity of her words by her face's expression. He smiled. "Do itashimashite. Anything for our manageress."  
  
  
  
Time flew by fast and Lunch Break came. Miraculously, Ryota did not doze off in class. Instead he actively participated in recitation for the first period, finished working on a lantern for the second period and outsmarted his opponents during P.E. class. As the class met after P.E. [a/n: Since boys and girls have separate P.E. classes...] Ayako met up wit him at the door of their cafeteria.  
  
"Oi, Ryota!" She waved.  
  
Ryota ran towards the canteen. "Gomen nasai, have you been waiting long? Kuwabara-sensei dismissed us late."  
  
"Maa... maa... daijobu. I saw Atakanashi-san sitting with her friends but I didn't see Matsutani-kun." Ayako pointed to Ryota where Atakanashi is.  
  
"Ah. Well I saw Matsutani-kun near the Soccer Field. I heard that they'll be having a meeting with the other team members. So who's first?" Ryota peeked inside the cafeteria. "Hmm... Wha's for lunch?"  
  
Ayako chuckled. "It seems you're hungry, so let's just to Atakanashi first, since she's in there. C'mon!" The two entered the cafeteria.  
  
  
  
"Fujiwara! Over here!" Atakanashi Maya waved. Ayako smiled in recognition and she and Ryota went to sit with them. They ate and chat.  
  
"Ano, Maya-chan, we'll go to the washroom first." Her companions said.  
  
"Okay then, I'll wait for you here. Besides, Ayako-san and Miyagi-san are here." Maya retorted.  
  
Ryota and Ayako shot knowing looks at each other. 'Now's the right time.' They smiled the moment the others walked away.  
  
"Uh... Atakanashi-san..." Ryota startd. Maya looked at him. "Uh.... You were a cleaner yesterday, ne? Did you see Aya-chan's diary?"  
  
Maya looked perplexed. "Yes, I'm a cleaner demo I didn't see her diary. I saw her writing on her desk then I went out. I had Cheerleading practice yesterday afternoon." She sat straight. "Ask Jiro."  
  
Ayako brightened up. "You saw me writing? That was my diary! Did you happen to go back again there? Did you see who got it?"  
  
"I'm sorry, I didn't. I want to help you but I really didn't." Maya saddened.  
  
Ayako looked disappointed. Ryota cast a sideglance and saw her disappointed feature. "Uh, thanks anyway." He said to Maya then turned to Ayako. "Aya-chan, daijobu. I won't stop until we find it. Cheer up."  
  
Ayako looked up to him. "Thanks."  
  
  
  
"Jiro-kun! Chtto matte kudasai!" Ayako called out. Jiro looked over his shoulder and blushed as he saw Ayako coming towards him. Ryota watched with an Argus eye.  
  
"N-Nandesuka, A-A-Ayako-san?" Jiro stuttered.  
  
Ayako smiled. "Uh, can I ask you something? Did you see my diary yesterday?"  
  
"Diary? I don't even know that you had one. Anyways can we hang out sometime? Maybe later, can we? The team's going to hang out in Rhapsody tonight." Jiro put his arm around Ayako's shoulder. She frowned.  
  
Ryota fumed. 'Kuso... Shimatta Jiro! Don't you dare touch her!' He ran and went to Ayako's side. "Excuse me, Matsutani but we have to take care of something else. Ne, Aya-chan?" He removed his arm from Ayako's shoulders.  
  
"Yes, we have to go to the... gym, yeah, gym. Thanks for your help, if you had any." Ayako rolled her eyes and walked away.  
  
Ryota followed her, then looked back to Jiro and mouthed: "Don't you evr come close to her or else..."  
  
  
  
When the two got off the soccer field Ayako sighed. "Whew, that was close! I swear, Ryota, if you didn't interfere I would have slapped him. Who does he think he is, some school heart throb? Hah, he might be cute but he's not qualified in my standards. Some conceited guy..."  
  
"Maa, maa! Cool it, Aya-chan! I pulled you out already!" Ryota sweatdropped. "Say, Aya-chan, what do you want in a man anyway?" 'Am I being obvious?'  
  
"Well... I want someone kind, generous, clever... and I really don'tgo for looks. He may be handsome, tall or short... just as long as he's got all I want." Ayako started climbing the flight of stairs to their room.  
  
Ryota beamed. ;Hah! I've got all that! Nice, Ryota!' He said to himself.  
  
"Oh, and before I forget, he should have a low profile." They reached the door of their room. "That's what really matters."  
  
Ryota, at the sound of Ayako's words, fell anime-style. 'Shimatta!' He sweatdropped. 'It's so un-me to have that!'  
  
  
  
After lunch all of class 2-7 went to the Audio-Visual room for a film viewing in their English class. The two of them took the chance to talk to all their "supposed" suspects. But neither Ayako nor Ryota found out something useful. Then Ryota, seated beside Ayako at the front [a/n: Since both of them are small... =P] noticed how their their investigation about her diary affected her performance. She was also frowning.  
  
"Hey, don't frown. That's not the Aya-chan I know." Ryota inclined his body a little to the right. [a/n: where Ayako sits] "We've still got practice today, you know. This day's not bad, it isn't finished yet."  
  
"Thanks for everything, Ryota. I don't know what I'll do without you." She managed to smile amidst the disappointing result of their investigation.  
  
"Miyagi, Fujiwara, if you don't mind, you could keep silent since there are thirty-three other students who want to watch." Mori-sensei, their half-Japanese, half-British teacher taunted. The two stifled their laughs at the very annoying accent of their sensei.  
  
  
  
"What do you think oyajin would tell us?" Sakuragi asked his two companions, Mitsui and Ryota. "C'mon, Mitchy. I know you know it."  
  
"Cut it out, will you? I don't KNOW anything about it. And mind you, it's Anzai-sensei to you, not oyajin, you creep!" Mitsui taunted.  
  
"Why you, Mitchy! Teme!" Sakuragi was about to throw his fist into Mitsui's face when Akagi and Kogure came in the Locker room.  
  
"Oi, Sakuragi! Damare! Yamette!" Akagi roared. Sakuragi stopped.   
  
"Ah... ano, Sakuragi, Mitsui, Miyagi, Anzai-sensei is waiting for us outside." Kogure stood in btween Akagi and Sakuragi, where electricitiy clashed. Theys topped and went out to the court. The team was already gathered around Anzai-sensei's chair.  
  
Akagi wnet under the net. "Minna, assemble!" The team made lines in front of him. The moment they settled down, Anzai-sensei walked towards them. Akagi and Kogure, as the team's taicho and fuku-taicho, took their place in frot of the team and bowed to Anzai-sensei. Ayako stood at the sidelines, holding the folder with Shohku's profiles.  
  
"Ah, minna..." The white-haired buddha began. "You have been doing very well in the the past games. I'm proud of you all."  
  
Evryne began clapping their hands.  
  
Anzai-sensei signaled them to stop. "Akagi, you have done a great job in training them. Kogure, you too."  
  
The two bowed deeply. "Domo arigato gusaimas." They said in unison.  
  
"And you too, Ayako. Come here." Anzai-sensei called her. "Demo I have bad news for all of you."  
  
Everyone glanced at each other.  
  
"Ayako's oto-san, General Fujiwara Nobuhiro, talked to me yesterday. He said he wanted to make Ayako quit being the manageress." Anzai-sensei spoke slowly, breaking the news to them gently.  
  
"Huh?" The team exclaimed, and fuss followed.  
  
'Sonna...' To Ryota, Anzai-sensei's words sounded like a gong.  
  
"Sonna... NO!!!" Ayako ran towards the girl's locker room, dropping the Shohoku profiles folder and leaving trails of tears on the floor. "Naze?" She removed her hat and threw it furiously.  
  
  
  
...to be continued...  
  
  
Author's Rant:  
  
There you have it mina! Second chapter! Please review! Also, please tell me if I have committed errors here. And do I speak good japanese? Ja!  
  
  
  
~Shohoku no Miko~© 


End file.
